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Wildflowers of Aransas NWR Complex
Birds | Mammals | Amphibians & Reptiles | Fish | Dragonflies | Butterflies
Wildflowers | Drift Seeds | Plants | Bivalves/Gastropods

This list contains 167 species of wildflowers found on Aransas NWRC. The wildflowers have been separated and listed by their color for your ease of use.

Please do not pick wildflowers. If you should find an unlisted or "rare" species, or a species not listed for a particular habitat, contact the Refuge staff and provide a description. We welcome any additions visitors may provide to enhance the accuracy of this checklist.

Showy Primrose
Abundance
C
Common; suitable habitat is widespread; should not be missed during appropriate season
U
Uncommon; present, but in moderate numbers
O
Occasional; may be present in small numbers
R
Rare; present, difficult to find
Habitat - These codes are used to describe where the species can generally be found.
Bt
Big Tree Trail
Bw
Boardwalk
Dp
Dagger Point Trail
En
Entrance (FM 2040)
Hf
Heron Flats Trail
Hl
Hog Lake
Hq
Headquarters
Jl
Jones Lake
Ot
Observation Tower
Pa
Picnic Area
Rt
Rail Trail
Tl
Tour Loop
Tr
Tower Road
Yt
Youth EE Training Area
 
Sp
Su
F
W
Habitat
Blue Flowers
Baby Blue Eyes Nemophila phacelioides
U
Hf Hq
Blue Curls Phacelia congesta
U
Hf
Carolina Larkspur Delphinium carolinianum
O
Pa
Dayflower Commelina erecta
C
C
C
O
Tr
Dotted blue-eyed Grass Sisyrinchium langloisii
U
Hf Tl Tr
Downy Lobelia Lobelia puberula
O
O
Hf Hq Tr
Sandyland Bluebonnet Lupinus subcarnosus
R
Hf Tr
Texas Bluebonnet Lupinus texensis
R
Hf
Purple Flowers
Basket Flower Centaurea americana
U
U
Tr
Bluebell Eustoma russellianum
O
O
Hf
Meadow Aster Symphyotrichum pratensis
U
U
Tr
Bull Thistle Cirsium horridulum
U
U
Pa Tr
Butterfly Pea Centrosema virginianum
C
C
U
Hf Tr
California loosestrife Lythrum californicum
O
C
U
Tl
Florida Bluehearts Buchnera americana
O
O
O
Tl
Hairy-flowered spiderwort Tradescantia hirsutiflora
U
O
Hq Tr
Herbertia (prairie-nymph) Herbertia lahue
U
Tr
Lance-leaf loosestrife Lythrum alatum
U
U
Tr
Narrowleaf dyschoriste Dyschoriste linearis
R
R
Hf
Passionflower Passiflora incarnata
O
O
Hf Hl
Prairie Bluet Hedyotis nigricans
C
C
U
Hf
Prairie Spiderwort Tradescantia occidentalis
U
O
Hq Tr
Purple phacelia Phacelia patuliflora
U
Hf Hq
Purple Plantleaf Alophia drummondii
O
O
Tl Tr
Saltmarsh morning glory Ipomoea sagittata
O
O
Tr
Shaggy portulaca Portulaca pilosa
O
O
Hq
Sharp Gayfeather Liatris acidota
U
Dp Tr
Silver-leaf nightshade Solanum elaeagnifolium
O
Hq
Snapdragon vine Maurandya antirrhinifolium
U
U
U
Hf
Stemless spiderwort Tradscantia subacaulis
U
Hf Hq Tr
Texas Thistle Cirsium texanum
U
U
Tr
Tie Vine Ipomea cordatotriloba
U
U
Hf
Venus looking glass Triodanis perfoliata
U
Hf
Vetch Vicia leavenworthii
U
Hf Hq
Violet ruellia Ruellia nudiflora
U
O
Tr
Wild Petunia Ruellia yucatana
C
U
O
Tl
Wine Cup Callirhöe involucrata
U
Hq
Lavender Flowers
Annual sundew Drosera annua
O
Tl Tr
Coast mistflower Conoclinium coelestinum
C
C
U
Hf Tr
Drummond phlox Phlox drummondii
C
U
Hf Tr
Drummond skullcap Scutellaria drummondii
C
HR Tr
Eggleaf skullcap Scutellaria ovata
U
Hf
Fragrant boneset Chromolaena odorata
O
O
O
Ot
Texas vervain Verbena halei
C
C
C
C
Tl Tr
Toadflax Nuttallanthus texanus
U
Hf Pa
Sandbell Nama hispidum
U
U
O
Hf
Sea lavender Limonium carolinianum
U
U
U
Bw Hf
White Flowers
Arrowleaf Sagittaria longiloba
O
O
Tr
Buckwheat Eriogonum multiflorum
C
O
Tr
Bullnettle Cnidoscolus texanus
U
U
En Pa Tl
Burhead Echinodorus rostratus
U
U
Hl Jl Tl
Buttonbush Cepahalanthus occidentalis
U
U
Hl Jl Tl
Catchfly Silene antirrhina
R
Hf
Chickweed Stellaria media
U
Hf
Climbing hempweed Mikania scandens
O
O
Tr
Coast germander Teucrium cubense
U
U
U
U
Hf
Delta arrowleaf Sagittaria platyphylla
U
U
U
Jl
Southern dewberry Rubus trivialis
C
Hf
Dodder Cuscuta sp.
U
U
Hf
Drummond rain lily Cooperia drummondii
U
O
Tr
False-garlic (crow poison) Nothoscordum bivalve
C
U
U
Hf Tr Tl Hq
Fleabane daisy Erigeron procumbens
C
U
Hf Tr
Frostweed Verbesina virginica
U
Hf Hq Tr
Green milkweed Asclepias viridis
O
C
U
Hq Pa Tl Tr
Green lily Schoenocaulon drummondii
U
U
Hf
Heart-leaf euphorbia Euphorbia cordifolia
C
C
U
Hf Yt
Heath aster Symphyotrichum ericoides
C
Tr
Hedge Bindweed Calystegia sepium
O
Hf
Hoary Pea Tephrosia onobrychoides
U
U
Tr Tl
Late-flowering boneset Eupatorium serotinum
U
U
Hf
Lazy daisy Aphanostephus skirrhobasis
C
C
Hf Hq Tr
Old Man's Beard Clematis drummondii
O
O
Hf
Peppergrass Lepidium virginicum
U
Hf Hq
Philadelphia daisy Erigeron philadelphicus
U
Tr
Pokeweed Phytolacca americana
R
Hq
Rattlesnake master Eryngium yuccifolium
U
Tl
Rattlesnake weed Daucus pusillus
U
Hf Jl Tl
Saltmarsh aster Symphyotrichum subulatum
U
U
Tr Tl
Seaside heliotrope Heliotropium curassavicum
U
U
U
Bw
Snake-cotton Froelichia floridana
O
O
Hf Tr
Snow-on-the-prairie Euphorbia bicolor
U
U
Tr
Spider lily Hymenocallis liriosme
O
Pa Tl
Spiny aster Chloracantha spinosa
O
O
Hf Tr Tl Bw
Spring ladies tresses Spiranthes vernalis
O
O
Tl Hl
Texas bindweed Convolvulus equitans
O
O
Tr Hf
Bullnettle Cnidoscolus texanus
U
U
En Pa Tl
Tomatillo Solanum triquetrum
U
U
U
U
Hf
Tooth frogfruit Phyla nodiflora
U
C
C
U
Tl Tr
Tropical mexican clover Richardia brasiliensis
U
U
U
Dp Jl
White gaura Gaura lindheimeri
U
U
Hf
White prickly poppy Argemone albiflora
U
C
U
Hq Tl
Wild Onion Allium canadense
U
Hf
Wild tobacco or Fiddle-leaf Tobacco Nicotiana repanda
O
O
Tl
Windflower Anenome berlandieri
U
Hf Tr
Red Flowers
Bracted sida Sida ciliaris
U
U
U
Hf Tr
Cardinal feather Acalypha radians
U
U
U
O
Hf Tr Pa
Coral bean Erythrina herbacea
O
Hf Tr
Indian blanket Gaillardia pulchella
U
C
C
U
Hf Tr Pa
Indian paintbrush Castilleja indivisa
U
Tr Hq
Roundleaf Scurfpea Pediomelum rhombifolium
O
Hq
Scarlet pea Indigofera miniata
O
U
U
Hf Pa Tr
Scarlet pimpernel Anagallis arvensis
U
Hf Tr
Trumpet-creeper Campsis radicans
R
Hf
Turk's cap Malvaviscus arboreus
O
U
U
Hf Tr Hq
Wooly globemallow Sphaeralcea lindheimeri
O
O
Hq
Pink Flowers
American germander Teucrium canadense
U
U
U
Tr Hq
Curtop smartweed Polygonum lapathifolium
O
O
O
Hf
Drummond wild onion Allium drummondii
U
Hf Tr
Grass pink Centarium calycosum
U
Hf
Marsh Fleabane Pluchea purpurascens
O
U
U
U
Hf Jl
Meadow pink Sabatia campestris
U
Hf
Pink evening primrose Oenothera speciosa
U
Hf Tr
Pink mint Stachys drummondii
O
Hf
Powderpuff Mimosa strigillosa
U
U
Hr Tr
Rose palfoxia Palafoxia rosea
U
O
Tr
Rougeberry Rivina humilis
U
U
U
Hf
Salt-marsh mallow Kosteletzkya virginica
O
O
Hf Tr
Spiderflower Cleome gynandra
O
O
Hq
Yellow Flowers
Balsam gourd Ibervillea lindheimeri
O
O
Hf
Bitterweed Helenium amarum
O
O
Tr
Blackeye evening primrose Utricularia gibba
U
U
Hf Tr
Brown-eyed susan Rudbeckia hirta
U
C
Tr
Butterweed Senecio tampicanus
U
Tl
Camphor daisy Machaeranthera phyllocephala
U
U
U
U
Bw
Camphorweed Heterotheca subaxillaris
U
U
Tr
Coast sunflower Helianthus debilis
C
En
Coffee senna Senna occidentalis
O
O
Hq
Common broomweed Amphiachyris dracunculoides
C
U
Tr
Fluttermill Oenothera grandis
U
Hf Tr
Common Lantana Lantana urticoides
O
O
Hf Hq Tr
Common sunflower Helianthus annuus
U
U
Pa
Cowpen daisy Verbesina encelioides
U
U
U
U
Hq
Cut-leaf evening primrose Oenothera laciniata
U
U
Hf Hq
False dandelion Pyrrhopappus carolinianus
U
Hq Tl
Fragrant goldenrod Solidago odora
U
Tl
Goldenmane coreopsis Coreopsis basalis
C
U
Hq Tl
Greenthread Thelesperma filifolium
U
U
U
U
Hf
Groundsel Senecio ampullaceus
O
Hf Bw
Hairy carpetweed Kallstroemia hirsutissima
O
Hq
Least snout bean Rhynchosia minima
C
Hf
Lemon Paintbrush Castilleja purpurea
R
Tr
Medic Corydalis micrantha
O
Hq
Mexican hat Ratibida columnifera
U
C
U
Hf Tr
Patridge pea Chamaecrista fasciculata
C
U
U
Hf Tl
Plains coreopsis Coreopsis tinctoria
C
U
Hf
Prairie goldenrod Euthamia gymnospermoides
U
Tl Tr
Prickly sowthistle Sonchus asper
U
U
U
U
Hf
Puccoon Lithospermum incisum
O
Pa
Queen's delight Stillingia sylvatica
O
Tl
Rattlebush Sesbania drummondii
O
U
Hl Jl Tr
Rosinwood Silphium gracile
O
U
Tr
Savannah milkweed Asclepias oenotheroides
U
U
O
Tr
Scratch daisy Croptilon divaricatum
U
Hf Tl Tr
Sea ox-eye Borrichia frutescens
U
U
U
U
Bw Hf Ot
Seacoast goldenrod Solidago sempervirens
U
Hf Tl
Silkgrass Pityopsis graminifolia
O
U
Tr
Silver-leaf sunflower Helianthus agrophylus
C
En
Soft camphorweed Chrysopsis pilosa
U
U
Tr Tl
Sour clover Melilotus indicus
O
U
Hq Pa
Spotted horsemint Monarda punctata
U
C
U
Tr
Stiffstem flax Linum berlandieri
U
U
Hf Tr
Tall goldenrod Solidago canadensis
O
Tr
Texas prickly pear Opuntia engelmannii
U
Hf
Wild indigo Baptisia bracteata
U
Tl
Yellow clammyweed Polanisia erosa
O
O
Dp
Yellow woodsorrel Oxalis dillenii
U
U
U
Hf Hq

Most of the information supplied in this checklist is from An Annotated List of the Plants of the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge by Dr. Wayne H. McAlister and Vascular Plants of Texas by Stanley D. Jones, Joseph K. Wipff and Paul M. Montgomery.

Suggested reference books include: Wildflowers of Texas by Geyata Ajilvsgi, and Plants of the Texas Coastal Bend by Roy L. Lehman, Ruth O'Brien and Tammy White.

Revision March 27, 2006

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